Full Circle
by Alikins
Summary: Futurefic. Toby Zeigler’s son is flirting with his daughter. That was not part of Josh’s plan.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Full Circle

Summary: Future-fic. It's years after the Bartlet administration, and Josh has an idea.

Disclaimer: Not mine, blah blah blah.

Author's Note: This idea popped into my head one day...the idea of this popping into Josh's head, and I figured that Josh, like me, would be amused at the symmetry of it all. I have more chapters building in my head, but for now, I realized that this could stand on its own, so I'm posting it.

Full Circle

September 2028

Josh resists the urge to pace. It's his natural instinct to stay moving, always busy, but he's actually grateful for the pause. He's nervous. Everything he's planned depends on this one conversation, and he doesn't know what he'll do if it goes wrong.

He's glad that CJ had been so determined to prove that she still had pull in Hollywood that she hadn't asked _why_ he wanted to get on this set. He doesn't want to tell her until it's settled. He's not sure he wants to tell her once it _is_ settled—she'll probably cry. Josh thinks it's possible that he never saw her cry while they were in the White House, but the years have made CJ emotional. The years, and Toby Zeigler's children. Josh is doomed.

He hasn't even told Sam yet. He's sure that Sam will be thrilled, but he hasn't told him yet. He hasn't told anyone. Not until he's sure that it's worked.

It has to work.

Josh glances into the room again. He'd been able to pick him out in a second. His head was down as he slumped over the table, writing in a notebook and not paying any attention to the meeting around him. It just screamed Ziegler.

A door opens, and Josh smiles politely at the girl who walks out. She returns the smile, peeking into the conference room Josh has been surveying. Her smile quickly fades as she registers what she is seeing, and she runs forward, opening the conference room door, and Josh can hear his voice.

"Maybe this should all end with Bailey realizing that it's _James_ he truly loves."

Josh smirks. Met with silence, the boy finally peeks up from his notebook. The meeting is called to an end. The girl quickly retreats, and Josh nods self-confidently. The kid is far too good for this.

Josh hangs back as the room empties, and he briefly loses his mark in the shuffle. Then he hears a clear voice over the din.

"How was the meeting, H.B.?"

"It was…" H.B. lets out a soft chuckle, and Josh catches the slight twitch in his face when he stops himself. "Fine, Marcia."

"Sally called, what do you—"

"Catch those for me," he interrupts. "And could you…" he sighs. "Call my sister. Tell her she was right, and we'll work out the expenses when I call her later?"

"I sort of…already talked to her."

"You what?"

"She called before."

"And you had a conversation with her?"

"Who do you think told me about the article?"

"Marcia…"

"H.B.," she returns, teasing. Josh is almost afraid he's having a flashback.

"Just…block my calls? And get my stuff to Rivera."

"Yeah, Boss."

"Are they still filming?"

"I think they have two more scenes left."

"Okay. I'm gonna head over to watch."

"'Kay," Marcia says, already turning to something else.

He starts to walk away, and Josh realizes the time has come.

"Huck," he says, soft, yet commanding.

The boy stops and slowly turns to face Josh. "My name's H.B."

Josh grins. "I remember the day you were born, kid: your name is Huckleberry."

A gasp comes from Marcia the assistant. "You…cad!"

"Marcia, please—"

"You told me your name was Harold Baxter!"

"Marcia, _work._"

"Sure thing, _Huckleberry_."

He glares, turning to Josh. "It's been years since…who the hell are you?"

"I knew your father," Josh explains.

Huck takes that in for a moment, walking to a quiet corner. Josh follows. "I remember you from the funeral," he says. "You're one of the Bartlet Gang."

Josh smirks and holds out his hand. "Josh Lyman."

Huck shakes it quickly, not bothering to introduce himself. "You're the one who got shot."

"Yeah," Josh nods. "It's funny. All the things I've done, and I'm most credited for something I had no power over."

Huck grimaces. "I'm sorry."

"No. I said it was funny."

"You were shot. I'm sure it's not that funny."

"I guess," Josh chuckles. "Your father would have found it funny."

Huck snorts. "Maybe you didn't know my father too well."

"Maybe you didn't," Josh returns.

Josh cringes as he watches Huck's face go cold. That was the wrong way to go.

"Is there something I can do for you, Mr. Lyman?"

"Yeah, you can call me Josh."

"Well, _Josh_, I'm working here, so—"

"You're a writer on a TV set. I always thought they were…you know, pretty useless during filming."

Huck groans slightly. "There are things that I—"

"You're looking busy by heading to the set to watch your work get butchered."

Huck rubs his forehead. "Nevertheless, I'm at work right now, getting paid and everything, so if there is a point to your visit here, if we could get to it quickly…"

"I'm here to offer you a job."

Huck smiles a little smile. "Great. Well, I already have a fairly successful job, so thanks for stopping by, hope you didn't waste too much time."

Huck starts to walk away, and Josh follows him. "My job offer is better than this."

"Really? Do you see where we are?" Huck asks, stopping and waving his arm in the general direction of the empty corridor they're standing in. Josh bites his lip to hide his amusement at the completely Toby-like gesture. "This show was the top rated new drama last season. We got eleven Emmy nominations. I'm not spinning plates here."

"Hey, it's a good job, sure, but mine's better."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Huck leans against the wall. "Mr. Lyman—"

"Josh," he sings.

"Josh. I don't know what to…you don't even know me."

"Sure I do."

"Why, because you used to changed my diaper twenty-five years ago?"

"No, I never changed your diaper. Donna did on my desk, once, but I never did."

"So you don't even have that going for you."

"No. But I've done my research."

Huck rubs his forehead. "What could research tell you about me?"

"You graduated suma cum laude from Stanford University with a double major in International Studies and Politics. You worked for Congressman Phil Deloni for three years, starting right after college, and running through two successful elections. However, after the last campaign, you left the job for undisclosed reasons, and two months later, you were working as a writer and consultant on the pilot of what became the most successful new show of the season, _Capitol_. This Sunday, you and the rest of the writing staff are favored to win an Emmy, and the gossip columnists are certain that you'll show up with up-and-coming starlet Sally Carlson. Although, from the conversation you just had with your assistant, the gossip columnists might be surprised."

Huck holds Josh's gaze, both men staring silently until Huck cracks a smile. "There's no way you could know all that and not have known that my name isn't Huck."

Josh grins. "I thought it would get your attention."

"You have any idea the amount of crap I'm going to be hearing from her?" he asks, his finger pointing over his shoulder.

"Well, I didn't know you'd told her your name was Harold Baxter. Why would you choose for your name to be—"

"It's bad enough that no one questions why I go by the initials, but it's not my…actual name."

"You don't have to hide from it, you know. Plenty of people have stranger names, certainly in Hollywood."

Huck snorts. "Yeah, the guy named 'Josh' doesn't get to tell me that I should be proud to be named Huckleberry."

Josh laughs, and soon after Huck joins him. They're leaning on opposite walls, facing each other from across the hall. Huck softens a bit.

"Did CJ send you here?"

"Well, she helped me get in, but she has no idea what I'm doing." Josh watches Huck duck his head, staring at his shoes. "I didn't want to get her hopes up. She would love the idea, and I wouldn't want her to end up disappointed."

"Was there an 'again' missing there?" Huck asks, looking up with his eyes.

"If you don't know that CJ—and your parents, while we're at it—have always been so proud of everything you've ever done, then you're an idiot." Huck just stares at him, not saying anything. Josh didn't expect him to. "I want you to come up to Sacramento tomorrow and listen to Senator Seaborn speak."

Huck scoffs. "What makes you think I could just go to Sacramento with…what, twelve hours notice?"

"Tomorrow's the Saturday before the Emmys, are you going to be doing anything other than waiting for it to be Sunday?"

Huck shrugs, but isn't willing to drop anything. "It's not like Sacramento's up the block, it's pretty far."

"I got your plane tickets covered. We leave at seven, you'll be back before five."

"You got me tickets? You don't think that's a little cocky?"

Josh smirks. "It's extremely cocky. When you've been in the business as long as I have, you get to be cocky."

"Well, I'm _not_ in 'the business'. I'm in _this_ business, and I'm happy here, so, I'm sorry that you've wasted your time…and money apparently, but…I don't know what you expect me to do, here!"

Josh waits a beat, then pulls out the plane ticket, holding it out. Huck takes it, mostly out of the instinct to take something that's handed to him. Josh smiles. "I expect you to come up to Sacramento tomorrow to listen to Senator Seaborn speak."

Huck, completely at his wit's end, waves his hands through the air. "_Why_?"

Josh chuckles. He was hoping Huck would ask that. Josh pushes off the wall and starts to walk towards the exit.

"Because," he says over his shoulder, "that's what sons do for old friends of their fathers."


	2. Chapter 2

H.B. wanders back to his office. They had been between scenes on the set, adjusting the lighting, and there was nothing to distract him. He's going to have to think about this.

Marcia looks up. "Who was that guy, H.B.?"

"He's an old…he's just someone I know."

"You didn't seem to recognize him."

"I haven't seen him in awhile. Messages?"

"Sally, Sally, and your publicist," she says, waving a note. "'Why didn't you tell me about you and Sally?'"

"Yeah," he sighs, crumpling it up.

"I told her it was crap, and she's already started diffusing it."

"Good. So, listen, tomorrow, what's my schedule like? Packed, right? Important things going on?"

"No," she laughs, "nothing's going on. I don't think the security guards are bothering to show up tomorrow." She pauses, looking up at him. "Don't tell me you're going on some crazy flight of fancy and I'm going to have to be here at six AM."

"No. No, no, I'm…no." He sighs. "Should I call her?"

"Dammit, Boss, you're not supposed to have those thoughts until you're good and plastered."

He smirks. "Is that an invitation?"

She rolls her eyes. "Stop it."

"You know, you could save me hours of my sister gloating, and you can be my date Sunday."

"No." She stands up. "I sent your pages in, they were really great, Boss."

"You're changing the topic."

She spins around. "H.B., being coupled with Sally Carlson looks three thousand times better than showing up with your assistant, and you know it."

"Oh, I don't give a damn—"

"And the press would certainly spin it as you _leaving_ Sally _for_ your assistant—"

"Well, I was never with Sally, and she planted a story saying that we were together, so don't you think it would be a nice little jab to play it like I left her for you?"

She smiles, but stops herself. "I don't go out with boys who don't tell me their real names."

"How sure are you of that?" H.B. asks.

She narrows her eyes. "Would you like me to get Sally on the phone for you?"

"Are you threatening me?"

She sighs and leans into her desk. "I think you should call her, because you need to at least tell her that you're not taking her to the Emmys."

"I'm just afraid I'll…"

"Get suckered in by her feminine wiles?"

"Well, yeah."

"Hey, you could just tell her that you've concocted an elaborate lie to hide your real name from her. I bet she'd be pretty pissed about that."

"Marcia—"

"I think it shows a certain level of distrust."

"What did you expect? I go by H.B. because I don't want people to know my real name, so why are you so bugged about this?"

"Because I'm not _people_. I'm not one of your colleagues. We have a close relationship. I've driven you home from bars, I wake you up every Monday, I send your mother flowers from you three times a year, and I've even _dressed_ you once, so I'd like to think that when I asked you what your real name was, you would've been honest!"

"And I'd think that, knowing me as you do, you'd understand that I just don't like my name!"

"Why not," she whines. "What's wrong with Huckleberry? It's interesting."

"Oh, yeah," he laughs. "It was real interesting and cool, up until I went to college, and I couldn't meet a new person without them adding 'Finn' or 'Hound' to the end."

"And you really thought I'd do that?"

"I'm expecting it in your next drunken message," he smiles.

"I won't…I don't leave you drunken messages."

"Okay," he says, rolling his eyes.

"I…I just thought that I knew…you know, _you_."

"You do," he says softly. She doesn't seem satisfied. H.B. sighs. "When we were little, Molly tried to say 'Huckleberry,' and it came out more like 'Hubry,' and that got shortened to 'Hub.'"

Marcia nods. "She calls you that all the time."

"So, at the beginning of college, I complained to Molly that I dreaded introducing myself to anyone, and she told me just to make up a new name. She said college was for starting over, and if I wanted to change my name, now was the time. So, I chose H.B. and everyone assumed it was…you know, Huckle and Berry. But I chose it to stand for Hub. And no one else knows that, not even Molly."

Marcia's face crumples. "Ooh…"

"Marcia…"

"That is _so sweet_!"

"I didn't tell you so you'd turn to goo. I just…now you know the real secret about my name."

She takes a breath to calm herself. "Thank you, Boss."

"Don't go telling her now."

"Oh, no, this secret's all mine." She smiles, offering her own olive branch. "I'll call Sally and cancel for you. No need to worry about her wiles."

"That won't be horribly tacky of me?"

"She was using you to climb the Hollywood ladder. She played on your chivalrous nature, roped you into an invite to the awards, and then made sure you were hyped up as a deep, committed couple, just so the press would stop focusing on how big of a flop her last movie was. You can't really out-tacky that."

He grins. "Can I really get away with not speaking to her about this?"

"I'll just tell her that you're too busy to bother with her, and that you found an escort who won't cost you so much."

His grin widens as he walks into his office. "Oh, if only that were true."

* * *

Huck and his sister had, completely without planning, gone to college far, far away from home—and one hour away from each other. Any time the subject comes up in conversation, Huck is bombarded by people cooing over how cute it is. He tends to just smile and move along now, but for a long time he was determined to explain to everyone exactly what had happened. 

He had been accepted to every school he'd applied to, all of the most prestigious in the country. His father had wanted him to go to Columbia. His mother had wanted him to stay in Washington and go to Georgetown, or if he had to leave, go to Princeton. Huck had finally settled on Cornell, mainly because it was the most complicated to get to, and visits would be infrequent. Then, before he could announce his decision, his father and CJ announced that they bought a winter cabin in upstate New York. With the safety radius enormously decreased, Huck went to his second choice, Stanford, which was on a completely different coast and 45 minutes away from any airport.

At the same time, Molly was having a much easier time choosing her college. She liked Berkeley because it delighted CJ, amused their father, and infuriated their mother.

The twins announced their decisions on the same day, and Huck immediately panicked. The two of them being so close together would encourage more visits. However, after the first month of school, Huck realized that he enjoyed his mother being across the country, he liked his father and CJ being wherever they decided to be, and he wanted his sister to be right down the highway.

Huck was constantly astounded by the bond between them. They were so different that he was sure, had they not been born together, they would have never said two words to each other.

They had run in different crowds in high school, each barely acknowledging the other. Huck envied how sociable she was, while Molly envied how studious he was. It was partially out of this desire for what they lacked that the siblings came to be in the places they were today. Huck was in show business, partying with the Hollywood elite, and being as visible as could be. Molly, after their father's death eight months ago, had rented a secluded cottage in Napa, and was living with her boyfriend—who she had no intention of marrying—and spending her days composing poetry.

Both had changed so much, had fought to change so much, that they each found that their only constant was each other. At the end of each day, no one could explain, no one understood like their twin.

It was why Huck dialed her number without thinking, why they answered their phones without wondering.

"You owe me five hundred dollars," Molly says as a greeting.

"How the hell do you already know…?"

"I bought my dress the last time I was in L.A."

"The last time...we made this bet, and you went and bought a dress?"

"Yes. I knew that Sally was no good."

"And you really have no faith—"

"None at all," she answers. "By the way, my friends think you're gay."

Huck bangs his head down to his desk. "Molly—"

"Don't worry, I told them you weren't. I said 'trust me, I would love if he were gay. That would explain it all.' But, no. You're just absolutely horrible at finding a decent girl."

"Thank you, Molly, 'cause what I need right now is a reminder that I'm pathetic and hopeless."

"Oh, don't get all self-deprecating. It makes me feel bad."

Huck lifts his head and puts on his most sarcastic voice. "Gee, Molls, I'm so thrilled I'm going to the Emmys with _you_. There's no one I'd rather be with than my twin sister, and even if it took the complete, public implosion of my love life, I'm totally thrilled because it all led to this."

"Much better," she teases.

"So, hey, listen. How would you feel about driving into Sacramento tomorrow?"

There's a pause. "Okay, my Emmy Award nominated brother doesn't get to be stingy about plane tickets."

"No, that's not…I'm sort of…thinking of going to Sacramento tomorrow, for a few hours. And I was thinking, you could meet me there, and then we'd fly back together."

She snorts. "Why would you be in Sacramento?"

"I don't know, I…I had a visitor today."

"Who?"

"Josh Lyman?"

Molly gasps. "Uncle Josh visited you?"

"He's not our uncle."

"Yes he is," Molly insists.

"No he's…I don't even know who he is, how can he be my uncle?"

"He just is."

"Whatever, Molls. I just…he asked me to go to Sacramento tomorrow. He wants me to listen to the Senator."

"Uncle Sam?"

Huck sighs, not in the mood to argue with her anymore. "Yeah."

"Why did he do that?"

"I think he's trying to get me to work for them."

Huck can hear the joy in Molly's voice. "Oh, that'd be wonderful. Uncle Sam's a great man, and this would be the perfect way for you to get back into politics."

"I don't want to get back into politics. I left for a reason, you know."

"You left because you were disillusioned. Sam can get you…re-illusioned."

"I don't need to be…three minutes ago you seemed perfectly fine with the job I had," Huck sighs.

"I'd much rather accompany you to the Inaugural Balls than the Emmys."

"If I were working in a job where I was going to the Inaugural Balls, I wouldn't be able to cover your plane ticket, never mind your five hundred dollar dress."

"I guess it's a good thing I already have it," she replies blithely.

"Yeah, well, I'm not going to be working…" Huck replays her words. "Wait, the Inaugural Balls? This is…this guy wants me for a Presidential campaign?"

"Well, he's not gonna head up the Student Council."

"I thought it was re-election, or maybe Governor, but not…God, what is wrong with this guy?"

"Uncle Josh?"

Huck stands up, pacing around his office. "He just shows up at my office, to try to get me to go to Sacramento, so he can convince me to work on…I've never done a statewide campaign, never mind presidential. I've only done two total, and yeah, we won, but…why in the world would he want me?"

Molly chuckles slightly. "You're family."

Huck takes off in a different direction. "I'm your family, I'm Dad's family, I am, sort of, CJ's family, but I am not Josh Lyman's family!"

"Yes, you are, H.B. God, you don't…get it."

"What?"

"It's the Bartlet family. We're Dad's children, we were born the day Zoey Bartlet was kidnapped, and even if we hadn't been, we would still be a part of it. It's not something we have a choice about. Maybe you couldn't have picked Josh Lyman out of a lineup, but he would walk through fire for you. Because Dad did for him."

"Well, that's fine and dandy, Molls—"

"No, there's more," she interrupts. "Campaigns, for them…it's not about having the right answers. They don't want the people who will win; they want the people who deserve to win. And I don't know why Josh showed up at your office, I'm not sure what he has planned for you, but I know it's got to be something good. Because they are good people. And…if you don't tell me when I should be meeting you in Sacramento tomorrow, I will be very, very mad."

Huck bites his lip. "We should get in around 8:30."

"Okay. I'll probably call you around then, frantic 'cause I can't find the airport.

"Okay," he smiles.

"You're not going to regret this, Hub. I promise."

"I'll hold you to that."

There's a brief pause. "You know, when you leave a car at the airport—"

"I'll pay for it," he groans. "Just be there."

"Hey, we made a promise, didn't we? No family gatherings without each other."

"Yeah," he sighs. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Bright and early."

"Love you, Molls."

"You too, H.B."

* * *

Josh relaxes in his seat, happy to finally be onboard the plane. He leans back, closes his eyes, and tries to think about anything other than the empty seat next to him. He's going to have to just move on, because he can't be preoccupied by this when CJ picks him up at the airport. This is why he never told anyone.

Josh leans forward, rubbing the back of his neck, and is ready to call over a flight attendant and place an early request for a drink when a bag plops down next to him. After some shuffling in the overhead compartment, Huck sits down.

"This doesn't mean anything."

"Okay," Josh laughs.

"I'm not saying yes," Huck insists.

Josh raises his hands. "Fine."

They stare at each other for a few moments, then both look away, Huck pulling out some work, and Josh grinning ahead.


	3. Chapter 3

Huck has been reading since he sat down. In fact, Josh has been impressed by Huck's ability to read while ordering orange juice, read while throwing out garbage, and read while retrieving other things to read. Josh is starting to wonder if Huck would be willing to have a conversation while reading, because he certainly doesn't seem to be putting his work down.

Josh had learned, very early in his relationship with Toby, that it was pointless to wait for the opportune moment to speak to him. He always appeared to be busy, but it was often just an act to avoid unwanted conversations. If he was truly too busy to be bothered, he'd simply ignore you. Or yell really loud. Depended on the situation, actually. Josh isn't sure that the same thing can be said about Toby's son, but he does know that the plane is landing, and he suspects Huck isn't the type of person who enjoys surprises.

"Listen," he says. Huck glances over, not really raising his head. Josh takes that as his cue to continue. "Uh, I just thought that you should be prepared, because, well, CJ's going to be there. At the airport, to pick us up."

Huck closes his eyes. "You're telling me this _now_?"

"I know, I could've given you more notice that you'd be seeing your step mother."

"They never got married," he mutters, putting away his work.

"Does that really matter?" Josh wonders.

"No," Huck agrees, letting out a sigh and leaning his chin into his palm. After a moment, he asks, haltingly, "Did I ever call you 'Uncle Josh'?"

"Well," Josh replies, just as haltingly, "I was…called Uncle Josh in reference to you. But you never really…you didn't talk too much when you were little."

Huck frowns. "I started talking when I was one."

"You _could_ talk," Josh agrees, "you just…didn't. You stuck to the basics, mommy, daddy, Molly…no." He breaks into a large grin. "You wouldn't even say 'yes,' you'd just keep saying 'no' until you got whatever it was you wanted. We loved that. It was just like your father, screaming when something was wrong, and then just sitting quietly once it was fixed."

Josh's grin fades as he fails to get a reaction from Huck. "Anyway, you never called me anything, no matter how hard I tried to get you to."

That gets a short laugh out of him. "I didn't know that I was ever around you that much."

Josh shrugs. "You weren't, honestly. There wasn't much time, after you were born. The term was winding down, people scattered. But when your dad did bring you in, you guys were the center of attention. You know, there aren't too many people who could say they were top priority in the White House."

"That's not usually a good thing," Huck points out.

"Sure. But…it's kinda cool, isn't it?"

"I guess," Huck laughs. The plane has finally stopped, and Huck quickly grabs his bag from above. He and Josh stand, waiting for the crowd to move. "Hey…" he chuckles quietly. "Speaking of center of attention…my sister's gonna be meeting me here. I hope that's okay."

"Of course. It'll be nice to see her. She used to come around all the time, but…not really, since…"

"Yeah. She's sort of secluded herself." He frowns. "Except from me. She has no problem visiting me, taking over my guest room for days."

"I guess that's what sisters do."

"Well, it's what _Molly_ does, I don't know that it has anything to do with her being my sister."

"It does," Josh says softly. They start shuffling forward, making their way into the aisle. "Hey, if I'd told you CJ was going to be here, would you not have come?"

Huck thinks for a moment. "No. I probably would have worn a different shirt…"

"What's wrong with that shirt?"

"Nothing."

Josh looks him over. "It's a nice shirt."

"Very nice."

"Good color."

"Mm-hm."

Josh smiles. "She bought it for you, didn't she?"

"Yup."

"And she's going to _embarrass_ you…"

"_Com_pletely."

* * *

Huck had tried his hardest to hate CJ Cregg. 

She had always been a part of their lives, and he knew that. She was nice and fun, and always had presents when she saw them. She snuck them candy, she initiated tickle fights, and there was nothing in the world quite like a piggyback ride on CJ's shoulders.

But then, one Christmas, everything felt different. It must have been when they were seven—holidays were split up, even years with Mom, odd with Dad—and Huck and Molly flew across the country to the cabin in Colorado where their father had been staying. And there was a Christmas tree. In their father's home, there was a Christmas tree with flashing lights, and a box of ornaments for the kids to put on, and CJ, reaching to put the star on top. And Huck could tell everything had changed.

Sure enough, they started hearing CJ's voice when they called, and their father started saying "We" as if it was perfectly normal, and it all became obvious to Huck. His father wasn't living with them, and he was living with CJ, and so Huck hated her.

As an adult, H.B. knows that CJ was good for his father. She was a stabilizing and binding force in their lives—the number of awkward conversations ended by passing CJ the phone was proof of that. But back then, he was a little boy who spent a limited amount of time with his father, and he didn't appreciate that time suddenly including CJ. At first, even Molly was upset by the invasion, but she quickly accepted the presence of someone who would take her to the beach, buy her shoes, and play with her dolls—especially since CJ successfully managed to pull their father into some of those activities. But Huck was not quite as willing to give in.

He did everything his young mind could come up with to drive CJ away. He ignored all of her requests, refused her suggestions and contradicted her statements—even when it was ridiculous to do so. That summer, he developed "allergies" to ice cream, popcorn and chocolate chip cookies, "fears" of water, swings and movie theaters, and, after a comment that Toby watched too much baseball, Huck's passing interest in the Yankees became a full-blown obsession. Molly was constantly whining that he was ruining everything, and his father punished him almost daily for being difficult, but CJ never did a thing. She knew exactly what he was doing, and she wasn't going to let him do it. And he sort of had to respect her for that.

When he finally let his guard down, he was able to appreciate all CJ did. When things got boring, she always came up with something to do. When Molly was annoying him, CJ would serve as a buffer, swooping in to separate them. When their father's temper got short, CJ could keep him in check. Most importantly, when Huck was angry, or frustrated, or sad, CJ had a way of making everything easier.

As the years passed, CJ became a part of Huck's life, to the point that it sometimes seemed as if CJ tied Huck to his father, instead of the other way around. She loved him—not because she had to, not because she was trying to impress his father, not because she wanted something from him—she just loved him. And, faced with something as refreshingly simple as that, Huck couldn't help but love her back.

* * *

Josh and Huck are searching the airport for CJ. She may not be as well-known as she once was, but her height still makes her stand out in a crowd. Of course, by the time they spot her, she's obviously seen them first, because she's frozen, her hand over her heart, her expression tinged with a slight sadness. Even from there, they can tell her eyes are watery. 

Josh rolls his eyes inwardly, as Huck picks up the pace. It is, Josh muses, almost the opposite of the movie cliché—instead of running forward and sweeping her into a giggly hug, Huck is…walking purposefully, and letting her hug him. But it doesn't matter. The look on CJ's face when she comes in contact with Huck makes it clear that this is a touching reunion.

"Hi," Huck says softly as CJ squeezes him tightly. He can hear her sniffling, and he rubs her back. "It's okay, CJ."

"You just…for a second there, you looked just like him," she whispers.

Huck is surprised by how hard that statement hits him. "I'm sorry," he whispers back.

"Don't ever," she says, loosening her grip. "Not for that."

"Okay." He lets her take his face in her hands.

"Oh, my sweet boy…" She turns her head, calling over her shoulder. "This was very mean, Joshua."

"You're thrilled," he smirks.

"I am," she laughs. "What are you _doing_ here?"

Right. They should have come up with a reason, huh?

"We ran into each other on the set," Josh says.

"Yeah," Huck agrees. "He mentioned he'd be seeing you, and I got the idea to…come along. Get some luck for the Emmys."

"You've got it sewn up," CJ dismisses, as only the completely biased can. "When are you going back?"

"Later today, after the thing. Molly's going to fly with me."

"I get to see my Molly too?"

"She's probably circling the parking lot right now. I should call her."

"You do that," CJ agrees, kissing his cheek quickly. "Make sure both of you get here safely."

"I'll just be a moment," he insists, walking off a few feet, phone to his ear. CJ turns to Josh, hugging him hard.

"Thank you."

"Just happy to see you smiling," he says.

She nods, examining his face. "You've got to get more people on the news channels," she chides, switching to shop talk. "I keep seeing Rutherford, Rutherford. It's harder to get the nomination if there's already a presumptive nominee."

"What're you telling me for? Take it up with Donna."

"I'm telling you so _you'll_ take it up with Donna."

"Donna doesn't work for me," he says, a little bitter.

"Okay," CJ drawls out. "Except…she does."

"She's campaign, it's separate."

"She's re-election."

"She's…all campaigns. She is current and future campaigns."

"All right. And what are you?"

"Well, according to all of our recent conversations, I'm not her boss, she in no way answers to me, and if I make it difficult for her to do her job, she won't be held accountable for what happens to me."

"So, this time together is really thawing her out," CJ deadpans.

"Oh, don't act like you've suddenly abandoned the sisterhood to sympathize with me," he sneers.

"I fully support you two working things out, Josh, as long as you stop being a jackass."

"I'm not a—" Josh takes a deep breath. "Have you forgotten that your son just arrived, on a silver platter, courtesy of me?"

"Yeah, that had nothing to do with your attempt to recruit him."

Josh makes a conscious effort to close his mouth. "I don't know what you're talking about."

CJ takes on a tone that is supposed to resemble Josh's. "'Oh, yeah, can you get me on the _Capitol_ set? It's such a well-done show. Oh, right, that's where Huck works. What a coincidence. I completely forgot. I probably won't even see him.'"

"I don't sound like that."

"You do when you're trying to hide something."

Josh shakes his head in amazement. "You really seemed surprised, you know."

"I was. I didn't think he'd actually listen to you."

They both let that sink in as Huck returns, phone in his hand.

"Well, she is nowhere near the airport, but she thinks she found the hotel where the Senator's speaking."

"Is it the one with the huge 'Senator Seaborn' banner?" CJ wonders.

"Yes. Should she just meet us there?"

"Yeah," Josh nods. "We'll leave now."

"Okay." He turns back to the phone. "We'll see you soon, Molls." Huck hangs up, looking at them expectantly. "We ready?"

"Yup," Josh answers, leading the way out of the airport. "We have rooms set aside at the hotel, H.B., you can use one. They're nice rooms."

"He'd know," CJ says, throwing an arm around Huck's shoulder. "He's living there."

"So are you!" Josh yells.

"I'm sleeping there, while I'm in town. You do your laundry there." She shakes her head. "Promise me, H.B., you'll never have to resort to calling a hotel home."

"Well, I can always come live with you, right?"

"See?" she says to Josh. "See what a good boy he is, always knowing exactly what to say. I'm so happy you're here." She's suddenly morphed into a mother hen. "But you're too thin," she clucks. "And your hair's too short."

"Yeah," Josh agrees. "Let that grow. You have no idea how much longer it'll be around."

"Yeah, you'd know, wouldn't you, Joshua?" She returns to her inspection of Huck. "You look good, though. Not too tired. And you're certainly stylish."

Huck attempts to cut off the comments he knows are coming. "Thank you...very much, for this shirt. I love it."

"It looks great on you." She turns to Josh, who Huck feels is enjoying this moment entirely too much. "He called me up," she explains, "right when he started on _Capitol_. 'These Hollywood people, always with a designer outfit. I feel like a kid playing dress-up.' Wasn't it sweet of him to ask me for help? I bought out the stores."

"He probably just wanted you to pay for it," Josh jokes.

CJ glares at him. "I helped him. And I was happy to."

"And tomorrow night, he can thank CJ, his wardrobe consultant."

"You better not," CJ warns. "Don't even worry about thanking me."

"I don't think I'm going to get to thank anybody," Huck says. "It's not like I'll be the one talking. I'll be lucky if I'm visible in the background. And that's if we win."

"Of course you'll win," CJ laughs. They've reached the car, and CJ pauses before sliding in. "You're wearing the tux I bought you?"

"Yes, CJ."

"Good. You'll be fine."

As she gets in the car, Huck looks over the hood and meets Josh's eye, sharing an amused glance. They get in together, off to join the others at the hotel.


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: I know it's been awhile since I updated this, but that's because I haven't had anything to update. It's kind of hard to write a story about the long-lasting relationships of the characters when all of those relationships are being torn apart on the show. But I am trying my best to ignore the show in its current state and carry on with the story. I absolutely haven't given up on this, and I'll update again when I have more. Thanks for all the positive reviews, without them I might have just given up._

* * *

H.B. takes a quick glance over his shoulder as he listens to the ringing on his phone. He's standing in the corner of an empty conference room, staring at the peeling paint on the wall. On the fifth ring, Marcia picks up. 

"Hello?" she yawns out.

"Were you sleeping?"

"No, it's just 10:30 on my Saturday off, why would I be sleeping?"

"Listen, I'm in Sacramento."

There's a pause. "If I have to drive to Sacramento—"

"No, no. I flew out here this morning and met my sister. It's…" he sighs, rolling his eyes. "It's a family thing."

"What, is your mother there?"

"No, it's sort of extended family…it doesn't matter. I'll be back tonight. I was just calling to see if anything's up."

"Anything what?"

"I don't know, any of those things that I'd have to worry about."

"Because usually something pops up at 10:30 on a Saturday?"

He sighs, admitting defeat. "After an hour of sitting in a hotel room, listening to Molly and CJ ignore me, we moved to this huge ballroom, full of these people—Molly doesn't even know them all, but they all seem to know me. And I was hoping that if I excused myself and called you…maybe I'd get out of meeting the other half of the room."

"You could have just told me that to begin with, you know."

"Yeah, I sort of realized that."

"So, does this family thing have anything to do with that guy who came by yesterday?"

"Yeah. Hey, listen, if I were to…" he stops himself suddenly, not truly believing where his mouth was going to go. He is _not_ seriously considering this job change, so he certainly can't mention it to Marcia.

"What?"

"Never mind."

"No, what—"

"I don't even…" he chuckles quietly, and turns to pace.

"Is this about the Emmys?"

"No. No, I don't care about the Emmys."

"Yes you do," she laughs.

"I don't. I—I want it for the show, and for the rest of the staff, but I don't particularly give a damn if I win tomorrow. You know?" He sighs, facing the wall again. "Rivera, Josie, those people, they've been doing this…since before I was born, these people have been trying to win an Emmy, and I just…"

"H.B.," she sighs out. "Just because you haven't been at this long doesn't mean you're not talented. You are _so_ talented."

"But…I don't care if I'm talented. I don't want to be 'Emmy Award winner H.B. Zeigler.' I'd actually prefer to not have that tied around my neck my whole life."

"Well, that's because you're going to move on."

H.B. frowns for several moments before remembering that she can't see him. "What?"

"I've always known," she says, casually. "Certainly, this show has proven to be a great success, more than we'd really hoped for. And you've been a part of that, you've brought so much to the show. But…I always knew you'd leave at some point." There's a pause, and they both take that in. "Just, please, don't take us somewhere too bad, okay?"

H.B. laughs, turning away from the corner. "And what makes you so sure you're…" He trails off, noticing that he's no longer alone in the room. "Uh, I gotta go, Marcia."

"Not funny, Boss!"

"You're coming along, okay! I'll call you back."

He flips the phone closed before she can respond. His visitor has not broken her stare, a slightly accusing gaze focused entirely on him. H.B. walks closer, mentally recapping the last few minutes of his conversation, wondering if he said anything inappropriate.

"Hi there, uh…" He crouches down to her level, getting face to face with a blue-eyed, brown-haired little girl, not even ten. He couldn't be more unsure of what to do. "Hi. I'm, uh…my name's H.B." The girl glares. "What, uh…what about you? What's your name?"

"You're a liar," she says with anger, expressing such devotion to the idea of honesty. Surprised, H.B. stands up.

"Why don't we go try to find where you came from, okay?"

The girl just continues glaring, and H.B. rubs his forehead, completely lost, when a pretty, young blonde woman comes running into the room.

"Cali!" The woman kneels in front of the girl, taking hold of her arms. "I told you not to run off like that! I'm supposed to be watching you, do you have any idea how bad this could have been! Wandering away, talking to strangers!"

"He's not a stranger," the girl insists.

Ignoring her, the woman turns to H.B., holding out her hand. "I'm sorry," she apologizes as he shakes it. "My name's Jennifer."

"Hi." He smiles, and she smiles back. "I'm H.B."

"He's lying!"

"Cali!" Jennifer scolds the girl, then turns, sheepishly biting her lip. "She's just…being difficult, I'm sorry. I don't know why she's saying that."

"Because he is!" Cali's glare returns. "I know you. You're Uncle Toby's Huck. He had a picture on his desk, and every time I was there, I saw it. It was you."

H.B. is thrown. This tiny little girl is looking at him like he's breaking her heart, and he doesn't know what to do. He glances at Jennifer, whose wide eyes are inspecting him with a little more interest, but offering no answers. After a moment, he crouches down to Cali's level.

"Cali? Is that your name?" After a moment she nods, ever so slightly. He smiles at her. "Hi. You're right, my name's not really H.B. But I wasn't lying," he says. "I…if you knew my dad, you know CJ too, right?" She nods again. "Well, like CJ is short for Claudia Jean, H.B. is short for Huckleberry. So, it's just a nickname. It's not a lie."

"So," she says after a moment, "you _are_ Uncle Toby's Huck."

"Yeah," he smiles. "And what about you? Who's Cali are you?"

"My daddy is Senator Samuel Seaborn," she says proudly, and he grins. It makes sense. He remembers seeing the Senator on CSPAN and being struck by his idealism, his honest face, and true eyes. The same eyes looking at him now.

"Oooh, well, did you know, I'm here to see him today?"

Cali laughs. "Everyone's here to see him today."

"Yeah, I guess that's true," he agrees. "But I came all the way from L.A. just to see your daddy speak."

"Wow," Jennifer says. "The show didn't need you?"

He holds in an annoyed chuckle. He really doesn't want to offend the pretty girl he's just met. "No. I could get away. But," he says, turning back to Cali, "I still haven't gotten to see him."

"He's really busy," Cali nods. "But, no matter how busy he is, I can see him."

"Well," Huck says, standing. "What do you say we go back in there, and then you can help me meet your dad?"

"Okay!" Her anger towards him completely forgotten, Cali runs from the room, leaving Huck and Jennifer to follow behind.

He grins at her as they walk along. "So," he says, in what he hopes is a charming tone, "Are you Uncle Sam's Jennifer?"

"No." She lets out a bright, airy laugh. "I'm Uncle _Josh's_ Jennifer."

"Really." He looks at her, surprised. With her blue eyes, he could have sworn she was a Seaborn. But in her grin, he can see something of the man who'd approached him yesterday. "I, uh…I didn't realize Josh had…I mean, it makes sense, but he didn't say anything to me about children."

"Well, he tends to have a one-track mind."

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

They arrive at the ballroom, and they look over to see the Senator lift up his daughter, kissing her cheek in an absent-minded show of affection.

"It takes a special person," Jennifer says, nodding in their direction, "to separate like that. To make it a priority to have many priorities." She laughs quietly to herself, ducking her head. "If that even made any sense."

"It did," he insists. "It made perfect sense."

She smiles again, and he examines her closer.

"You look…familiar. Have we met before?"

"You haven't," Molly supplies, sneaking up on them. "You're never around." She throws him a glance before turning her attention to his companion. "Hi, Jenny, how are you doing?"

"I'm good, Molly. I didn't know you'd be here."

"Yeah, me either," Molly laughs. "You getting to know my brother?"

"Yeah," Jennifer nods. "The Emmy winner."

"Not yet," Huck asserts. "You know, if I lose now, I'm blaming you," he teases.

"Well, I'd hate to have that on my shoulders," she returns.

"Oh, you're going to win," Molly interrupts. "I need something to brag about." She throws an arm around her brother's shoulder and calmly whispers, in a singsong tone, "Seventeen, H.B."

"Shut up, Molly," he whispers back, trying to hide his surprise. Jennifer has conducted herself so calmly and maturely, he thought she was at least in her twenties. Jennifer smiles at him, oblivious to the twins' side conversation.

"I think Cali's won you an audience," she says, nodding towards the Senator making his way through the parting crowd. Despite the knowledge that this man has known him since he was a baby, Huck is nervous about meeting him. It's as if he can sense an aura around him, feel his presence before he's present.

He swallows a lump in his throat as Senator Seaborn shakes his hand. "H.B., I'm so glad you could make it. I'm sorry I haven't been able to make it over here sooner."

"It's…I know you're busy," Huck mutters, nodding his head.

"Molly," he smiles, kissing her cheek. "It's so good to see you again."

"You too, Senator."

He squeezes her hand and turns back to Huck. "As soon as Josh told me you were here, I wanted to make a point of seeing you. I'm sorry things are so crazy now—will you be around after the speech, so we can talk more?"

Huck nods. "We've got a few hours until our flight."

"Good. Make sure you see me before you leave, okay?"

"Yes, sir." Huck nods again, smiling as the Senator smiles at him.

Before leaving, he turns to Jennifer and squeezes her shoulder. "Go say 'Hi' to your dad, okay, Kiddo?"

"I'm sure I'll bump into him eventually."

"Don't 'bump in,' go to him. You don't have to worry about Cali, her mom's got her. Just go over there."

"I don't actually have to listen to you, you know."

"Yeah, but you will."

"Yeah," she agrees.

"Good girl," he says, kissing her forehead. "Wish me luck," he says to the group, and Huck is mystified when he finds himself echoing along with the girls.

His sister is giving him that look, that _I know exactly what you're thinking, and it proves me right_ look, and he'll do just about anything to avoid that look. So, he turns to Jennifer, and throws himself on the smaller grenade.

"Why don't we head over there together? I'll give you a buffer with your dad, you give me a buffer with CJ, no one has to face too much parental time?"

"Okay," Jennifer agrees readily, and he can hear Molly's voice in his head, _You're going to take the job, **and** you're leading on the jailbait._

He really hates how well he knows what she's thinking, especially when she's thinking what he's thinking.

He turns back to her, his silencing eyes in place. "Find us good seats, sis?"

"Sure thing, bro," she replies, matching his strained tone, but with an evil grin on her face. He's dreading the flight home.


	5. Chapter 5

CJ and Josh are speaking to someone, so Huck and Jennifer stop, waiting at a polite distance. CJ throws him a smile, acknowledging them, but Huck knows from his political days that a conversation can last awhile. He isn't too surprised that Jennifer seems to know that, too.

He turns to her, looking to avoid an awkward silence, as well as fulfill his curiosity. "Why are you avoiding your father?"

She bites her lip a little, looking slightly embarrassed. "We have a few ongoing fights that make things strained, but right now it's mainly because, for the first time in about ten years, my parents were actually going to be in the same place on their anniversary…well, I guess it's not their anniversary anymore, but it doesn't matter, because my dad decided to go out of town."

Huck feels a pang of guilt, but reminds himself that he didn't ask Josh Lyman to randomly show up at his office. He decides to not mention that fact to Jen, and sticks to a topic he's all too familiar with.

"How long have your parents been divorced?" he asks. Jennifer looks away, uncomfortable, and Huck derides himself. "I don't know why I asked that," he comments. "I always hated that one. 'Oh, well, they got divorced four years before I was born, so…'"

He's glad that he manages to get a laugh out of her.

"The simple answer is three years. The complicated one…" She takes a deep breath. "Eighteen years ago, my parents bumped into each other for the first time in awhile—well, it wasn't a 'bump' so much as they were seated across from each other. On _Capitol Beat_. They debated, they bantered, they flew off and got married, I was born nine months later, and since then, they haven't stayed together for more than two years, and they haven't stayed apart for more than four."

Yes, Huck thinks, that is complicated. "Did you bounce between them a lot?"

"Not really. I mostly went with my Mom, wherever it was she was going. You know, Dad's been Sam's Chief of Staff for twelve years now, he's too busy to really take care of a kid. We tried it a few times, but he was gone so much I basically just lived with Ainsley."

"Who's Ainsley?" Huck wonders.

Jen looks at him quizzically. "Ainsley Hayes…Seaborn. Sam's wife? She…I thought you…" Looking at Huck's face, she can see he has no idea what she's talking about. "She's a Republican, he's a Democrat. Like…like Madison and Bailey."

"Who?"

"On _Capitol_."

Huck laughs—he'd actually forgotten about the show and its tedious love triangles. "I take it you're not a James fan?"

"It's not that I'm not a James fan, I just don't like him with Maddie. Bailey appreciates her more, he respects her opinions, even though they're different than his." She shrugs. "I thought…I'd read somewhere that they were based on Sam and Ainsley."

"They might be," he agrees. "I don't know. I didn't create them. I don't really handle the…romantic aspects of the show."

"So you can't tell me who she ends up with?"

"As soon as they flip the coin and decide, I'll let you know." She laughs. "So you…you're enjoying the show?"

"Oh, yeah," she nods. "But it's gonna be hard. The new season," she says softly.

Huck frowns. "Why's that?"

"Well, you know, with your dad…I'm gonna miss talking to him about it."

That comment is just registering with Huck when he's grabbed, arms squeezing his shoulders. He groans, not unkindly.

"You're going to have to stop hugging me eventually, CJ."

"I stop hugging you when you're gone," she answers, but she does loosen her grip. "Jenny, is he behaving himself?"

"He's being a perfect gentleman," she answers, smiling and making eye contact with Huck. It's at that moment that Josh walks over, and he throws a wary glance around before giving his daughter a kiss.

"Hey, Sweetheart," he says softly.

"Hi, Daddy," she replies, her smile fading.

"Where's the munchkin?"

"With Ainsley. Sam said she's okay. He came over to talk to us."

"Yeah." Huck isn't really adding anything of importance, but he felt compelled to speak. Getting a good look at Josh's face, he isn't really sure why, anymore.

"Good," Josh mutters. "I…I know Sam wanted to meet you."

Huck nods, biting back the urge he has to say 'Yes, sir.' Before, he and Josh had developed an easy rapport, but right now, Josh is definitely giving him a 'That's my precious daughter and I might possibly kill you' glare. Huck suddenly isn't so worried about avoiding his sister's looks. "Uh…the Senator said we should talk more before I leave," Huck says, trying to get Josh to focus on business.

"Do you remember Sam?" CJ asks, either unaware of the tension or trying to diffuse it. "He used to send you toys all the time."

"I remember that I should remember him," Huck answers, "but that's about it."

At that moment, a man walks over, interrupting. "Hey, Josh, what should I—" he stops suddenly. "Oh, is this Huck?"

"It's _H.B._," Jennifer corrects. She is both completely aware of the tension, and not at all trying to diffuse it.

"Right," the man mutters. He gives Huck a glance, but his interest has already decreased, so he turns back to Josh. "Listen, I'm setting up—"

"Hey, Ron, I'm…with my daughter."

"It's okay, Dad," Jennifer says, not sounding okay. "I know you're busy. We just stopped by to say 'hi'."

"No," Josh insists. "It's nothing that can't wait a few minutes, right?"

Ron doesn't entirely look like he agrees, but he doesn't argue. "Sure. I'll find you in a few minutes."

As Ron walks away, Huck mutters, "Why does it seem like everyone knows me?"

"Because I brag about you constantly," CJ answers.

"Yeah, well, stop that."

"Never."

Jennifer is smiling at them, which brings back The Glare. She rolls her eyes.

"I was serious, Daddy, you should go after Ron."

"No," Josh says, his glare fading immediately. "I haven't even gotten to ask you about school."

"It's fine," she answers.

"You're not taking on too much? Because if you think it's too hard, you can—"

"Dad," she interrupts. "Graduating early is one of the few things we agree about, don't change that."

"I just want to make sure you still think it's the right decision."

"I do," she answers, not adding anything more.

"CJ!" someone calls out.

"Oh," she frowns, "I'm needed."

"So this is what retirement's like?" Huck wonders.

"I'm a consultant," she says, whacking his arm. "I'll find you again later."

"Yeah," he says, waving her away.

"We should really go, too," Jen adds. "Molly's saving us seats. And Ron has been lurking over your shoulder this whole time."

Josh turns around with a groan, confirming that Ron is in fact watching them intensely.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart, I really want to spend some time with you."

She grants him a smile. "I'll stick around tonight, we can grab dinner."

"That sounds wonderful." He quickly kisses her. "Find me after the speech," he says to Huck. "I'll get you some time with Sam."

"Sure," Huck nods, as Josh walks off.

Jennifer looks at him. "Why's it so important you talk to Sam?"

"I don't know," Huck lies. He's not sure how covert Josh wants to keep the job offer, or how many people know the Senator is going to run for President. Come to think of it, Huck doesn't even know that, officially. He shrugs and puts on a teasing tone. "Maybe he wants to ask me about Madison and Bailey."

"Maybe," she giggles as they start to walk away. Huck feels like he can still sense Josh's eyes on them, but he's genuinely enjoying Jen's company, and wants to keep the conversation going.

"So," he says, turning to her, "how are things _really_ going with school?"

"Well, I got stuck taking Economics, since I had so few options, I have to go to gym every day to be done by January, and then I run over to the community college to take a class to fulfill my English requirement, and my weekends are filled with watching the bratty little non-sister I never wanted, instead of working on my five-page paper on _Beowulf_, which, by the way, I don't understand at all."

Huck blinks. "So, it's good."

"Yeah," Jen replies sarcastically, shoving him a little, and he shoves her back playfully as they wander through the crowd, looking for Molly.

* * *

Josh's eyesight isn't what it used to be, but his hearing has held up well, and he can make out his daughter's laugh from across the room. That high, rolling chuckle that he'd thought would always make him smile, right now is making him seethe. He squints, trying to make out where Jen is sitting, and, he hopes, projecting a threatening glare. 

Toby Zeigler's son is flirting with his daughter. That was not part of Josh's plan.

Through the haze of his thoughts, Josh hears a voice, urgently barking.

"Josh!"

He turns to face an exasperated Donna.

"Listen, I've run into a problem with…" she trails off, seeing something in his face. "You okay?" she asks, eyebrows raised.

"Oh, yeah. Hey, you seen Jenny recently?"

She shakes her head. "We had breakfast, but—"

"Well, take a look." He points across the room. "See what our daughter is up to."

Donna smiles. "Oh, she found friends. That's—" she gasps. "Is that Huck?"

"Yes."

"Oh my god!" She elbows Josh. "Huck is here!"

"I know. He's here, with our daughter."

"That is so cute!"

"That is not…that is _not_ cute, Donna, that's our baby girl!"

"She's not a baby anymore, Joshua."

"She's 17. She is completely still a baby."

"Okay," Donna says, placating. That's not what he wants.

"You don't have a problem with this? He's showing an interest in our daughter."

"Are you saying he shouldn't show an interest in her?"

"Donna, I'm not—"

"Teenage girls have enough problems with self-esteem without their fathers chasing away anyone who pays attention to them."

"When have I ever—"

"That nice boy Barrett, he's afraid to call the house anymore."

Josh scowls. "That loser…he played the flute!"

Donna gives him a look. "_I_ played the flute."

"You're a girl."

"And so is our daughter."

"Yes, a wonderful, beautiful, intelligent girl, and I think she deserves more than cheesy lines from a slick Hollywood player."

"Oh, Josh, it's completely innocent. He's dating Sally Carlson."

"No, that was just a blown up rumor," he dismisses.

Donna smiles. "Look who's keeping up with celebrity gossip."

"When it's going to be affecting my daughter…"

"Josh, it's Huck. He's Toby's son. Why wouldn't you want them to get along?"

"Why? Why?" His voice is rising up an octave. "How about because she's 17, and he's 25? How about that?"

That seems to stop Donna for a second. She shakes her head. "You know, that's about how far apart you and I are."

"Why do you think I'm worried," he grumbles, running his hands through what's left of his hair. "And I'd like it on the record that you were not 17 when we met."

"No," she grins. "I was 25."

He stares at her. "You were not."

"February 1998. I was not yet 26."

He looks at her and he sees that girl, eyes and smile wide, wearing that pass he knows she still has in a box somewhere. She looks the same to him now, even though he knows she's so different.

"I've known you for more than half your life," he says softly.

She chuckles. "Well, when you put it like that, it sounds horrible."

"So it wasn't?" he asks. "Horrible?"

She pauses, shaking her head in disbelief. "I came over here to talk about business…"

"And yet we've veered off topic."

"Look at that." Her voice is full of restrained anger. "Haven't I been clear, Josh? I'm here because I want to help Sam. This is strictly professional."

"I can't just shut it off, Donna. _I_ can't do that."

"I don't shut things off either, I just set them aside for better times."

"Ah. But those times never come, do they? We never have the hard conversations."

She turns away, looking across the room, and they can both hear their daughter laughing. Donna's shoulders slump. "It wasn't horrible. It was difficult, and painful, and sometimes I really can't stand to be around you but…when I look at that little girl…" She wipes at her eye. "It was never horrible, Josh."

"Thank you," he whispers. She nods, her back still to him. "Um…so, why'd you come over?"

She laughs a little. "It's…it seems pretty silly now."

"You said it was about work. We're gonna be professional now."

She turns back around, and as if listening to his statement, her entire demeanor has changed. "One of the kids, for the thing later, he works on his school paper, and he wants to write an article about it."

Josh bites his lip "You're kidding."

"No. I hate the idea of denying him access, but we can't stop him from writing about his experience, and Sam was adamant about there being no press coverage."

"A college paper isn't 'press'."

"No, but it can be. The reporters are intrigued because they're not allowed in. It wouldn't take much for them to put this kid's article out there."

Josh sighs. "I don't really care _if_ it gets out, as long as it doesn't look like we _put_ it out."

She narrows her eyes at him. "_Sam_ cares, Josh."

He closes his eyes. "I know. I know."

"What should I do?"

"Run this by him—we grant the kid an interview, Sam explains why it was so important to him that the press not be around. Maybe…I mean, these kids were picked for a reason, you know. If anyone would understand—"

"Yeah," Donna agrees. "That's a good idea. I'll tell Sam."

"And can you also tell him that if the kid still contacts the papers and the story gets out there, it isn't the worst thing in the world and he doesn't have to feel guilty about it for the rest of his life?"

"I'll try."

"I swear, this nobility thing of his, it'll either make us or break us."

Donna bites back a smile. "I think it'll make us." She squeezes his shoulder slightly, a nod to the earlier part of their conversation, and walks off to find Sam.

"Me too," he mutters, returning his focus to his daughter. "Me too."

* * *

"You're kidding," Jennifer laughs. 

"I'm not," Huck insists.

"He did that sort of thing all the time," Molly nods.

"It was definitely after midnight, it might have been when the bar closed—"

"You never stayed out until the bar closed," Molly interjects.

"We were playing cards," he scowls at his sister, before turning back to Jen. "Anyway, I get back, and that's when I remember that I have a paper due in twelve hours. So I just start writing, I'm not even really sure about what I'm saying, get no sleep, I hand the paper in on time, and I got an A."

"That's crazy," Jennifer sighs. "I have three weeks until my paper is due and I'm freaking out already."

"Well, this was for a politics class. Politics is about bullshitting. English classes are different. Molly can tell you all about that."

Molly groans. "Here's hoping you never have to read _Ulysses_."

"Ah, yes, don't get her started on _Ulysses_," Huck teases. "_Wuthering Heights,_ however, she loved."

"C'mon, the original soap opera. Obsession and manipulation and vaguely incestuous themes, what's not to love?"

Jen's laughing. "Oh, I wish I knew what you were talking about."

"No, you don't," Huck chuckles. "Stay away from the English major."

"Stay away from all majors," Molly frowns. "What are you doing, graduating early? The second half of senior year is the best time. Why are you in such a hurry to get to college?"

"I'm not really, I'm just trying to get as much as I can done before…" Jen trails off, not finishing her sentence.

"Before…" Molly prompts with a grin. "You want to go on the campaign trail!"

Jen stammers. "I…have no idea what campaign you're talking about, and…how do you know?"

Huck glances quickly at Molly, and she immediately knows to not mention the job offer. "How do I know that, twelve years after joining the Senate to set up a Presidential run, he might be considering a Presidential run?" She shrugs dramatically. "My psychic told me."

"Well, I certainly don't know anything about any campaign."

Molly rolls her eyes. "Sure, Jenny. You're just trying to get as many classes in as you can before the decade ends," she says sarcastically.

"Well, that's not untrue," Huck comments.

"We'll stick with that," Jennifer nods.

"I can't believe your dad is letting you do this," Molly says, ignoring them.

"Actually," Jen responds, "Dad loves the idea, it's Mom who's worried." She pauses. "About nothing. 'Cause I'm not going anywhere."

"Of course," Huck laughs.

"At least not for another…what, year?" Molly guesses.

"I'm not saying a word."

"You can probably even get two semesters done."

"Hey," Jen says loudly, gesturing towards the stage. "Our Senator is about to speak. What do you say we listen to him?"

"Let's indeed," Molly agrees. "Listen up, Hub, our Senator is addressing us." She pokes him. "Who knows, he may be President someday."

"Shush!" Jen protests, and they all stifle their laughter as a voice announces the presence of Senator Samuel Seaborn.


End file.
